India to treble export of organic products by 2020

Export of organically made products, both food and non-food, is likely to grow threefold in the four years to 2020, following the government’s relaxation on quota limits.

According to the Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (Apeda), Indian farmers produced around 1.35 million tonnes (mt) of certified organic products in 2015-16 which include all varieties of food products namely sugarcane. Of this, export was 263,687 tonnes, worth $298 million (Rs 1,900 crore).

While export of organic wheat, non-basmati rice, edible oils and sugar have been exempted from all annual quantitative ceilings with immediate effect, those on pulses and lentils has been increased from 10,000 tonnes to 50,000 tonnes.

Farmer export is largely to Europe, Canada and West Asia. Oilseeds were half of India’s overall organic export, followed by processed food products at 25 per cent.